The history and vineyard of the château

In the 17th century, the estate extended over more than 550 hectares (1300 acres). It belonged to the monks of Saint Jean and housed sheepfolds known as “La Métairie de Caudéran”.

During the 19th century Monsieur Mathieu SEURIN, a shipowner, bought the estate. Around 1870, he built on the property a fine Château, stables, an aviary, and a water tower. When he died in 1890 – under the rule of the Pope Leon XIII – his wife built a chapel, dedicating it to Saint Mathieu in his honour. It was consecrated on July 28th 1987, after seven years of construction. A year and a half later, Emma Seurin died at the age of 56.

Château de Léognan changed owner during these years. Monsieur Jean Marie DUBOS, an important Bordeaux wine merchant from the firm of “DUBOS Frères” became the new owner. He extended the Château with a gallery supported by four columns, created a pond and a deer pen.

During the 19th century, this magnificent property, was widely courted by the bourgeoisie of the arts and letters. The famous writer François Mauriac makes it a place of passage, in his novel “Les Chemins de la Mer” (The Unknown Sea).
At the beginning of the 20th century, the estate was divided up again, giving the setting for the current property. A promising vein of gravel and sand was discovered near the pond, and 6 hectares of vines were planted with the advice and help of the neighbouring Domaine de Chevalier, classified as a Graves Grand Cru.

In 2006, Philippe and Chantal MIECAZE discovered the jewel that this property represents and which corresponded exactly to their dreams. They became owners of the estate in July 2007.

They have completely renovated the château built between the 17th and 19th centuries. Today, Philippe and Chantal are committed to making their wine “Château Léognan” known as one of the best in the Pessac-Léognan appellation.

The vineyard was planted in 1989, and is composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot (the planting density is 10,000 vines per hectare). The vineyard is raised in the tradition of the Grands Crus of Pessac Léognan. Indeed, it was rented from the moment it was planted and brought to excellence by the illustrious neighbouring Domaine, a Grand Cru of the appellation, until 2006.

Château Léognan flourishes in the heart of a bucolic property that has been adored for more than a century and preserved in its green setting.

The human hand is omnipresent, attesting to the constant care taken to shape the double guyot pruning. Respecting the environment, treatment analysis is triggered by the terroir knowledge and the experience of the winegrower according to the climatology. We also practice ” effeuillage et la vendange en vert ” (leaf removal and green harvesting) before the great celebration that announces autumn when we pick the combined wealth of the earth and the sun represented by the grape.

The harvest, which is entirely manual, begins in October depending on the ripeness of the grapes of each plot.

Cutters put grapes into crates to keep them from being crushed and oxidized all the way to the winery.
Our harvest reception is designed to protect the grapes and preserve the berries all the way to the vats. As soon as the crates enter the winery, they are immediately poured into the destemmer, by gravity, and then taken to an automatic sorting table to eliminate any remaining stems or dried seeds and keep the quality fruit; a second manual sorting is carried out.

The grapes, carefully sorted in order not to crush the berries, are then carried by a peristaltic pump to the top of the vat, and it is only then that they are “crushed”.